PRIME BANDWIDTH: Competition in the 3.5GHz auction is tipped to be intense, as the three biggest players are seeking 100MHz each, but only 270MHz is available

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 30, 2019
By: Chen Cheng-hui  /  Staff reporter

Spending at the nation’s first 5G spectrum auction is likely to exceed market expectations, as none of the telecom companies are expected to back down from a battle that is likely to determine their market positions over the next decade, Yuanta Securities Investment Consulting Co (元大投顧) said.

Total bids could top NT$100 billion (US$3.3 billion) by the end of this week if bidding continues at its current pace, Yuanta said, adding that when the auction ends next month, the total might rival the NT$118.65 billion total bids in the 4G auction in 2013.

As of Friday, the 14th day of the 5G auction, bids totaled NT$74.642 billion, the National Communications Commission said in a statement on its Web site.

Bids for the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) band remained the most popular, garnering NT$73.2 billion, and bids reached NT$1.442 billion for the 2.8GHz band, although nobody had expressed interest in the 1.8GHz band, the commission said.    [FULL  STORY]